Electricity generation accounts for 37% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland. That is why switching to clean, green energy is one of the most pressing challenges we face. We want Scotland to become the green energy powerhouse of Europe. The Liberal Democrats are determined to support this vital investment and reject new nuclear power in Scotland. We’ve made great progress in Scotland but it’s time to raise our ambitions even higher.

That’s why we want to see:

• renewable energy supplying 100% of Scotland’s electricity by 2050 – a deliberately bold target to be met in stages with 60% by 2020.
• wave machines generating electricity in Scottish waters by the end of 2007 to realise the massive opportunity to generate clean energy from the huge untapped power of Scotland’s seas – making Scotland the marine powerhouse for the world.
• investment in biomass and biofuels, carbon capture, clean coal technology and hydrogen and fuel cell storage to put Scotland at the cutting edge of the new technology the world needs to stop climate chaos.

It is crucial that we move to a new system of decentralised energy. At the moment more than 60% of the energy from big fossil fuel power stations goes up the chimney as wasted heat. By generating on a smaller scale, more locally, this heat can be piped to homes and businesses. By using combined heat and power (CHP) we can double the efficiency of fossil fuels and make existing reserves last longer. But as quickly as possible we need to see a switch to renewable sources – burning biomass in these CHP plants instead.

That’s why we want to see:

• local power in every community in Scotland, including CHP, district heating systems, air and ground heat pumps, microrenewables, biomass, storage cells, smart grid technology, and a network of hydrogen fuel pumps.

Rarely does a household or community embark on a renewable energy project and not ‘catch the bug’. Often they go on to invest in energy efficiency, recycling and other environmental projects. That’s one of the reasons we want to put Scotland at the lead of a micropower revolution. If each home in Scotland installed a simple micropower device we would generate 17% of all electricity consumption from clean green renewable sources. Families would save hundreds of pounds in fuel costs.

That’s why we want to see:

• all new homes and buildings to have compulsory micropower and high standards of energy efficiency.
• every part of the public sector develop an action plant to generate at least a fifth of their own energy on-site by 2020 and more investment in energy efficiency.
• a £200 rebate on local tax bills for homeowners who install new microgeneration during the term of the next parliament and continued grant support.

Recycling rates have trebled in Scotland under the Liberal Democrats. We want to see them continue to rise so that Scotland moves to the top of the European table and leads the green jobs revolution. Scotland must reduce its ecological footprint but we won’t do that if we keep dumping our rubbish in landfill sites.

That’s why we want to see:

• a long term target to increase municipal recycling rates to 70% with individual targets for local councils to help bring the poorer performing councils up to standards and build on the progress of the best performing.
• more focus on minimising waste in the first place.
• kerbside recycling extended across the country.

We’ll never truly tackle climate change if we don’t address the issue of carbon emissions and energy use from transport. We’re determined to get more people to make the switch from their cars to cycling, walking and public transport.

That’s why we want to see:

• new railways with faster rail links between our major cities so that public transport is a faster option than the private car.
• more action to get freight off the roads and on to rail, sea and waterways.
• Scotland become a cycling nation with a new Cycling Demonstration Town fund and investment in cycle paths, road improvements and cycling facilities.